Hanover deserves better

THE EDITOR, Madam:

An open letter to the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Ministry of Health and Wellness

The people of Hanover deserve better.

Garbage collection is not a privilege. It is a basic public service and a matter of public health, dignity, and respect. Yet many communities in Hanover continue to endure unacceptable delays between collections, leaving residents to cope with overflowing refuse and unsanitary conditions.

Entire communities often go weeks without seeing a garbage truck. Residents are left to pile garbage at collection points, hoping it will be removed. Too often, collections seem to occur only after complaints are made or public pressure is applied. That is not a reliable system.

Why is there no consistent, publicly available collection schedule that communities can depend on? Families should not have to wonder when their garbage will be collected, and businesses should not have to operate amid uncertainty.

The consequences are especially visible along the corridor to Negril, where overflowing garbage spills onto roadsides and collection points. The resulting stench and the presence of rodents create an unhealthy and unpleasant environment for residents and visitors alike. On one of Jamaica’s premier tourism routes, this is both an embarrassment and a public health concern.

Communities such as Cousins Cove, Pell River, Askenish and March Town have all experienced lengthy collection delays. Across Hanover, residents continue to voice the same complaint: garbage is not being collected often enough.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness must also pay close attention. Overflowing garbage attracts rats, flies and mosquitoes, contaminates the environment and increases the risk of disease. Public health efforts should focus on prevention rather than reacting after problems arise.

The people of Hanover pay taxes, contribute to the national economy and support Jamaica’s tourism industry. They deserve the same standard of service enjoyed elsewhere.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for consistency, accountability and respect. The relevant authorities must publish reliable collection schedules, communicate disruptions promptly and ensure that no community is repeatedly left behind.

Hanover deserves clean communities, and its residents deserve action now.

Heatha Miller Bennett,

MP